Monday, July 15, 2013

Tour Kick Off - Meet and Greet - The Pact by Graeme Brown

Epic Fantasy

Date Published: 5/6/2013

Enter the world of Will Lesterall, a boy who’s grown up in the safety of his father’s castle. Tales of the outside world ruled by warring kings and creatures of nightmare have never seemed a threat, yet on the night celebrating the two hundredth year of the sacred Pact that has kept Fort Lesterall safe, a secret intrigue ripens, and in the course of a few hours Will is confronted with a choice greater than he can comprehend.Join an unlikely hero as destiny pulls him into the middle of an ancient conflict between fallen gods and ambitious women, one that demands blood, both holy and wicked, and the power of an ancient fire bound in steel. As swords clash below a watching wood, hope and betrayal war as fiercely as fear and valor.Whether he lives or dies, Will Lesterall will never be the same.

Absolutely! I approach the process of crafting a story the
same way I would a project management job. It’s a lot of fun, and though it has
its tough moments (doesn’t any job?) the rewards are awesome.

#2 – What was the Hardest Part of Your Writing Process?

I aim to write about 400-1000 words a day, every day, and
while this might not sound like much, the caveat is they have to be keepable
words. I do not write a second or third draft. I do a rigorous outline which
grows in successive stages, then when it’s time to start writing I aim to bring
it to life. This means sitting at the computer sometimes for 4 hours, flipping
through profiles and earlier sections on the manuscript—whatever it takes—to
find where the voice of the story leads next. To some that might sound strange,
but when my writing flows true I experience a sense of connection to something
that lies in the story itself, and while my fingers might be doing the typing,
I’m feel like I’m just the conduit. Some days (like this last Friday), I’m
pulled into the rapids and 1000 words are out in 40 minutes. Other day, I’m in
the doldrums and have to keep probing with my paddle. Those are the hard times,
but I’ve learned to sit through them. Writing always comes, and it adds up, and
I don’t lose sight of that.

#3 – Did you have any One Person Who Helped You Out with
Your Writing Outside of Your Family?

I was privileged to meet a retired New York editor who helped me realize the
standard of professional writing. I wanted to self-publish because all the
agents I had submitted my manuscript to at the time have rejected it. He
explained to me bluntly why they were rejecting it, and offered to edit the
manuscript. I agreed, but we did argue a lot; beginner writers are not good at
killing their prose, and he suggested I get rid of two characters who I really
liked. I did try his suggestions and was astonished at how much better the
manuscript became, however, by the end of our work I realized I had so much
further to go, so I put it away, moving on to other project.

The Pact, my first published story, is the third of those.
Working with him taught me you need to always look for ways to go deeper, to
find that spot where your prose become immersing and believable. Never mind
making every page exciting. A good story must pull the reader along with every
sentence.

#4 – What is next for your writing?

The completion of A Thousand Roads, a novel set in the same
world as The Pact. I have been working on it since October, and aim to have
revision of the draft completed by October 31st. It is very
intricate, rich, rough around the edges and full of quaint villages, sexy
villains, hints of magic, and the tantalizing tip of a world-building iceberg
that I’ve been adding to for nearly twenty years.

#5 – Do you have an addiction to reading as well as writing?
If so, what are you currently reading?

I love reading! It is a love of epic fantasy that inspired
me to write it. Presently, I am finishing the Wheel of Time series with Brandon
Sanderson’s final installment, A Memory of Light.

DESCRIBE Your Book in 1 Tweet:

A boy must find courage when his castle is threatened by
monsters and he discovers, at the heart of it, his role in an ancient prophecy

This or That?

#1 - iPd or Mp3?

iPd

#2 – Chocolate or Vanilla?

Chocolate!

#3 – Mashed Potatoes or French Fries?

French fries

#4 – Comedy or Drama?

Comedy

#5 – Danielle Steel or Nicholas Sparks?

Nicholas Sparks

#6 – Fantasy or Reality?

Fantasy

#7 – Call or Text?

Text

#8 – Public School or HomeSchool?

HomeSchool

#9 – Coffee or Hot Chocolate?

Coffee!!

#10 – eBook or Paperback?

Paperback

Graeme Brown is has been enchanted by the epic fantasy genre since he was a child, and consequently he started creating his own world with its stories at the age of thirteen. Influenced by writers like J.R.R. Tolkien, Robert Jordan, and George R. R. Martin, he has finally brought the first of those stories to life with his debut title, a short story called The Pact—48 pages that will whisk you away to a dark, medieval fantasy world with gritty realism. When he’s not writing, he can be found exploring number theory problems or writing computer programs, training for a marathon, or unwinding in a yoga hot room. He has also explored other facets of art, both as a hobby and a profession, including vector graphics, pen and ink, classical piano, and web design. Despite being a full time student and a junior editor for Champagne Books, he makes sure to do a little writing every day. He is presently busy with the first of many sequels to The Pact, A Thousand Roads.